Hand-rail column.



C. J. BURROWS.

HAND RAIL COLUMN.

APPLICATION FILED APRJQ, 191s.

Patented Aug. 4., 1914.

CHABLEY J. BURBOWS, F PARSONS, KANSAS.

HAND-RAIL COLUMN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

Application filed April 19. 1913. Serial No. 762,290.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEY J. BURROWS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Parsons, in the county of Labette and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hand-Rail Columns, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to supports, and more particularly to the class of hand rail columns for locomotives.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of adevice in which a hand rail will be firmly and securely supported and which can be readily and quickly detached from its bearings should the occasion require.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein the bearings for the hand rail are of novel form to prevent slipping or turning of the said rail when mounted therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is extremely simple in construction, reliable, efiicacious, strong, durable, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and

pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing :--Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a locomotive showing the hand rail mounted in bearings or colnmns constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the forward column partly open. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof closed. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 5 designates a portion of a locomotive, 6. a portion of its boiler, and 7 the cab of the ordinary well-known construction. For the purpose of protecting persons walking on the running board, (not shown), of the loco1notive,'there is provided a hand rail 8 as usual which is of tubular formation and is supported in bearings or columns hereinafter described. WVhen the columns and rails are rigidly secured in position, which is the customary manner of mounting them, there is difficulty encountered 1n removing the same for any required purpose, therefore the invention provides for the convenient and quick removal of the hand rail 8 as the occasions demand.

The hand rail 8 is removably fitted in bearings A, B and C respectively, the hearing A being secured to the cab 7, while the bearings B and C are secured to the boiler 6 of the locomotive as shown.

The hearing A comprises a semi-circular shaped stationary base section 9 and a semicircular shaped swinging clamp section 14 which is pivoted thereto, and this hearing is adapted to receive one end of the rail.

The bearing C comprises a column 18 which is secured to the threaded lug 19 on a base 20 mounted upon the boiler 6 of the locomotive, the column 18 being formed with a split head including a stationary section '21 and a swinging section 29., the latter being pivoted at 23 to the said stationary section 21, and each of these sections is provided with a semicircular flange 24 projecting outwardly from a cheek 25, the flanges 94: of the said sections being designed to embrace the forward end of the hand rail 8 which can be readily removed from the bearing on raising the swinging section .22 away from the stationary section 21 thereof. The swinging section 22 is formed with a slotted lip 26, the slot of which is adapted to receive a stud 27, threaded in a boss 28 formed on the column 18 of the bearing C, and threaded on this stud 27 is a nut 28' so that the movable section may be fastened in closed position for clamping the hand rail.

The intermediate bearing B comprises a column 29 which has integrally formed therewith a split hollow ring including a stationary section 30 and a swinging section 31, the latter being hinged to the stationary section 30 by means of a pivot 82 so that the ring or collar can be opened or closed when desired. The section 31 is formed with a slotted lip 33, the slot of which receives a stud 34, the same being threaded in a boss 35 formed on the column 29, the stud being provided with a nut, the column being secured to the boiler in a manncr similar to the fastening of the bearing (3. On unscrewing the nut 3+ from the stud 35 the section 31 ot' the ring or collar is free to be swung upwardly to permit the removal of the hand rail from the said bearing ii, and when the section 31 is closed or fastened it Wlll firmly hold the hand rad therein.

The stationary section 21 and 33 respectively of the bearings B and C carry stop lugs or pins 36 which engage in holes 37 in the hand railv 8 to prevent the slipping or turning thereof in the said bearings.

It is of course to be understood that the hinge joint may be varied, that is to say, the manner of swingingly connecting the sections to the stationary parts can be changed or altered, and likewise the manner of fastening the said swinging sections may be varied as the occasion may require.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and manner of operation of the device will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

hat is claimed is A column for supporting a locomotive hand rail comprising a base, a column rising from the base and having a split head, one

aoaeve part of the head being integrally formed with the column, a pivot swingingly connectingjthe other part thereto, a boss formed on the column, a split ear formed on the movable part of the head, a threaded lug permanently engaged in the boss and adapted to be passed into the bifurcation in the ear, a nut detachably engaged on the lug for locking the two parts of thehead together, and abutment Walls formed on the two parts. of the head at one end thereof for engagement with the end of the rail to prevent the sliding of the same through the head.

In testimony whereof ll atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLEY J. BURROW'S. 

